Miami Heat’s Rodney McGruder climbing in Rookie of the Year conversation

Miami’s Rodney McGruder gets into with the Clippers’ J.J. Redick during a game this season. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

MIAMI – The Heat’s recent success means more recognition when it comes to individual honors.

And although the Heat have turned this season around because of a team effort more than riding the hot hand of any one player on a consistent night-in and night-out basis, individuals are starting to creep into conversations when it comes to awards.

The most obvious is coach Erik Spoelstra, who was named the Eastern Conference’s February Coach of the Month and is becoming a strong candidate for Coach of the Year. And then there is rookie Rodney McGruder, the 6-foot-4 guard who was thrust into the starting small forward spot when Justise Winslow was lost for the season with a shoulder injury.

Now, McGruder is climbing on the Rookie of the Year rankings. Hoops Hype has him at No. 6 behind the 76ers’ duo of Dario Saric and Joel Embid, the Bucks’ Malcolm Brogdon, the Knicks’ Willy Hernangomez and Denver’s Jamal Murray.

McGruder will not overwhelm anybody with his stats. He is 14th among rookies with 6.4 points per game and a .413 shooting percentage. He is ninth in three-point shooting (.350), rebounding (3.2 per game) and steals (.65 per game). And he is fifth with 25.4 minutes per game.

With 50 starts, McGruder has the third most on the Heat and among rookies behind OKC’s Domantas Sabonis and Phoenix’s Marquese Chriss.

But Spoelstra has continually praised McGruder for his contributions beyond the box score, for his “winning plays” and defense while being asked to cover the opponents’ best wing player each night, a list that includes LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony.

Spoelstra paid him the ultimate compliment recently comparing him to another player who was defined by his toughness and contributions beyond the box score – Udonis Haslem.

“Rodney brings that toughness and the identity we have,” Spoelstra said. “How do we want to play? What’s our habits? What’s our identity? That guy. That’s what it is. What is UD in terms of his meaning on Miami Heat player and then culture? That’s him. Rodney is a 6-4 version of UD.

Spoelstra added that McGruder, along with Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside, has anchored the starting five.

“He’s been the more consistent guy in that unit in terms of games played and being available every single day and what he brings,” he said.